#24 - PEARL HARBOR raid - Zuikaku's dive bombers

EII-201 was flown by a hikotaicho. Lt. Akira Sakamoto (pilot) led the attack on Wheeler Field. On December 7, 1941, hikotaicho Lt. Akira Sakamoto (first squadron), Lt. Tomatsu Ema (second squadron) and Lt. Hayashi (third squadron) were leaders of ZUIKAKU's dive bomber force with 27 Aichi D3A1, divided in 9 shotai (3 planes unit) during the first wave attack. Two D3A1 did not participate due to technical problems. These 25 Val target was Wheeler Field. Lt. Sakamoto had one astounding view from the cockpit of his dive-bomber when he approached Wheeler field at 10,000 ft. He could hardly believe what he saw. Below him, parked wingtip-to-wingtip on the tarmac, sat dozens of P-36 and P-40 aircraft – the bulk of the USA’s fighter defenses for the Hawaiian Islands. Within moments, Sakamoto’s 25 Val dropped their bombs with pinpoint precision on the American fighters at Wheeler field. On 26th October 1942, Battle of Santa Cruz, he crashed his Val next to the deck of USS Hornet with the bomb and himself.

Wheeler field photo # 1Japanese photo of Wheeler Field under attack.

EII-203 was flown by a wingman. Crew unknown.

EII-203 photo #1EII-203 later photo

EII-204 was flown by a wingman. PO Heihaku Ujiki (pilot).

Wheeler field photo # 2Japanese photo of Wheeler Field under attack.

EII-206 was flown by a shotaicho. Crew unknown. Note one black shotaicho stripe, piped in white.

Hokoku # 525Note that the lower line in Hokoku 525 is NOT the same height as the top line: This is due that the top line was apparently stencil painted while the bottom line was perhaps hand painted or another size stencil was used... on this presentation day, 20 September 1941 at Haneda Field, Tokyo. INFO CREDIT: David Aiken, M. Asano, H. Yoshimura.

EII-206 taking off photo #1

EII-206 Hasegawa's box art

EII-235 was flown by a buntaicho. Lt. Tamotsu Ema (pilot).

Wheeler field photo # 3Japanese photo of Wheeler Field under attack.Photo #: NH 50473 - Planes and hangars burning at Wheeler Army Air Field, Oahu, soon after it was attacked in the morning of 7 December 1941, as seen from a Japanese Navy plane. - Donation of Theodore Hutton. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Wheeler field photo # 4Japanese photo of Wheeler Field under attack.Photo #: 80-G-21217 - Wheeler Air Field and Schofield Barracks under attack, as seen from a Japanese Navy plane. Most of the smoke comes from planes burning on the Wheeler Field apron in the center. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.